Recipe: Perfect Holiday Brussels Sprouts

Merry Christmas! Here is a last-minute recipe for those Brussels sprouts you were trying to figure out what to do with for dinner tonight....

Brussels sprouts are one of those perfect veggies for a holiday dinner. They add some healthy green to the table, are very simple to prepare, and can be done in many delicious ways. This is a variation on my favorite way to serve Brussels sprouts.

Roasting them in the oven adds a lovely caramelization, without letting them get mushy - which ruins them in my opinion. Balsamic vinegar and cranberries bring out their natural sweetness, and pecans add a nice crunch. Even those who don't like Brussels sprouts may find themselves coming back for more of these! Enjoy!

Perfect Holiday Brussels Sprouts
(Serves 4.)

(Image courtesy of Mister GC at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, washed and halved
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking oil.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then add the prepared Brussels sprouts to the bowl and toss to coat well.
• Dump the Brussels sprouts out onto the baking sheet, cover loosely with a sheet of tin foil, then bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove tin foil, stir Brussels sprouts around, and return to oven for another 10 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned, turning sprouts over at least once during this baking time.
• Dump hot Brussels sprouts out into a large bowl, add the pecans and cranberries and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Keeping Your Healthy Intentions This Christmas

Christmas is often the holiday when we say we're going to focus on family, but our intentions keep getting lost. It's busy. It's hectic. There's not enough time to get it all done. Etc. Etc. Etc.

If this sounds like your family, it's time to take back the season and stick to your good intentions. It's not impossible. It's not even that hard. Let's take a look at several issues we struggle with during Christmas and see if there might be a solution or two.

Expense

(Image courtesy of fantasista at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

This issue makes the top of the list because it often colors the rest of the celebration before we can even get our plans underway. Everything seems alright until the money starts to disappear. All our good intentions to stay focused on family and fun start to fade away when money gets tight.

There is only one solution - budget. Perhaps a budget seems like too much work, but it's the only way to keep the focus where it belongs. You will have to spend some time with paper, pencil, and possibly make some hard choices, but it will be worth it, trust me.

Create a budget that won't just postpone the pain. This means put a limit on ALL spending, including the credit cards. To avoid the January surprises, you may even want to pull together some envelopes with spending cash designated for gifts, food, drinks, decorations, donations, and whatever you need for your Christmas celebration.

A budget specifically set for each individual item not only helps rein in spending, but it also helps eliminate that last minute spending spree because you forgot if you took care of X, Y, or Z.  Plan your budget like you plan your Christmas dinner menu. Be precise in your budgeting and you will find it relieves a lot of stress, giving you time and energy to focus on what you wanted to - family and fun, remember?

Exercise

No, you are not going to focus on losing weight during Christmas. Instead, you want to think about staying active every day and enjoying some active play time with your family and friends.

Some of the stress you feel during the holidays is due to the fact that you are putting your health on a back-burner. You may be eating too much of the wrong foods and skipping exercise because you're too busy. Whatever the reason, you should never omit exercise from your daily routine, especially during the holidays!

Even if you can't make it to the gym or spend an hour on the treadmill, you can stay active. Several short walks a day will help clear the mind and get the blood pumping. You will burn a few calories, but most importantly you will lift your spirits. It's amazing what a little boost in those endorphins, the feel good hormones, will do for a person.  (Check out our Fun Ways to Exercise blog for a quick (under 15-minute) workout each week this month!)

And, don't forget the family! If spending more time with your family is part of what Christmas is all about, then a little play goes a long way toward that goal, too. Exercise to feel good, but make exercise fun to include your kids. Before the day gets too busy, get outside and have a game of tag. Shoot some buckets. Get a game of field hockey going. Do somersaults. Rollerblade. Ride your bike. Snowshoe. Build a snowman. Whatever you can do to be active and have some laughs will get you well on the way to your goal of spending time enjoying your family this Christmas.

(Image courtesy of start08 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Entertainment

You've got your budget set and you have lots of ideas to stay active and healthy. But, there are going to be times spent inside, too. Of course, you'll be gathered around the table during some of the Christmas season enjoying delicious meals and sharing stories. This is all wonderful because your goal is to connect with your family, but how you spend your time is important.

One great way to make your moments together count even more is to plan activities that involve the whole family working together on projects. These can be simple crafts like creating handmade gifts or decorations to share, to larger scale projects like cooking and serving dinner at a community shelter or church.
If your family is musically inclined, you may want to join a caroling group, church choir, or band. Maybe you would like to help decorate the church. Your town may have a youth group that pitches in and decorates the store windows or city hall.

Give some thought to what you, your family, and your community needs and figure out a way to help get those needs met. Gift trees are popular to help get gifts for families who can't afford to buy gifts. Food drives are another easy to organize an event that your family could do. Plan a movie night at your local theatre and ask attendees to bring a new toy to give to kids spending Christmas in a hospital or away from home. There are lots of ways you can do good deeds and find lots of entertainment for your family at the same time.

Having a happy holiday often means finding a balance between a busy schedule, tight budget, and family fun. You can do it all, but it takes planning, a few strategies, and lots of love. Merry Christmas!

Choose A Healthier Holiday Season Banquet & Bar

During the last few months of the year, most of us have a reason or two to celebrate. The holidays can include religious observances, gift giving, programs, music, and perhaps dancing. But, at the center of these festivities usually lurks a table piled high with all sorts of indulgences - we're talking food and drink galore!

Yes, it's a party and you want to join in and enjoy everything. However, if you're like most people, you have limits. How can you have fun and stay on track with your healthy living goals? Let's take a look at a few ideas to keep you focused while partaking in the celebrations.

The Banquet

Don't let those delicious dishes hypnotize you. You're in charge here! You have your dietary limits clearly defined, so take a deep breath and ask yourself; "What food on this table really suits my healthy goals?"

Approach the holiday table slowly, with caution. Help yourself to small portions of those foods that are a part of your healthy diet. Enjoy. Give yourself time before choosing another morsel from another offering. Chew slowly and savor each tasty bite. Keep choosing foods that you know are nutritious.

Choose healthier foods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After you've sampled the foods that are a healthy part of your diet, stop. Wait for these healthy foods to settle in and satisfy your appetite. If you're still hungry, go back for more foods that fit your diet. The idea is to fill your tummy with good, healthy foods before giving into temptation. If you have been practicing nutritious eating habits, you probably already have your body and digestive system trained to want good food. Giving your body the good food first may just satisfy your cravings.

But, we're only human.... The delicious aromas of certain not-so-healthy foods may just keep calling your name. Even after you've eaten a fair share of healthy foods, you may succumb to those forbidden goodies. Go ahead and take one. Or, better yet, offer to cut one in half, or thirds, or quarters, and share with someone. Chances are pretty good that you'll find someone going through the same holiday dieting struggle. They will be happy to share.

When it comes time for dessert, there really isn't much you can do to escape the indulgence. You don't want to offend Grandma and not join in the praise when she serves up her family's secret recipe. But, you can limit yourself. Even Grandma understands the phrase; "I'll just have a sliver." You may end up having more than you wanted, but if you planned for this by watching what you ate during dinner, you should count this as a victory.

The Bar

As you're strolling past the buffet filled with all those delicious appetizers, picking just those morsels that fit your healthy eating habits, someone hands you a glass of wine or a cocktail. Maybe you take another pass at the buffet and suddenly your glass is empty. But, the host is Johnny-On-The-Spot and before you know it, you have another drink in your hand - especially if it's New Year's Eve!

Martini. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The holidays are a time of rejoicing. Food and drink are two ways we celebrate. However, most of us want to keep our caloric intake, sugar intake, and alcohol intake to a minimum, for many reasons.

Just like the banquet, the bar offers opportunities to enjoy, but also to stay on track with our healthy diet. There are several ways to keep from overindulging at the bar.

Mingling with a drink in your hand is fun, but it is also a way to lose track of how many glasses you have had filled. While you're nibbling on hors d'oeuvres, your host is anxious to keep your glass filled. You may not even be aware of how often your glass is 'topped off' before it's too late. Instead of wine or a cocktail, mingle with a glass of sparkling water or club soda. Your host will be happy to keep your glass filled and you will not go over your limit.

If you drink wine, save it for the dinner table. Most sit down dinners will have wine specifically chosen to complement the meal. If you have already had all the wine you should drink before dinner, you miss out on the fun during dinner - or you overindulge. Either way, it's not worth ruining your meal, and your health.

If after-dinner drinks are offered, weigh the pros and cons. If you're having dessert, too, you may want to opt out and have plain coffee or tea. Remember; this is a balancing act. You know you will need to make choices before, during, and after dinner, so choose wisely.

At the end of the day, you can be happy if you tried to satisfy your appetite with healthy choices, and only gave in to a few delicious treats. After all, the holidays only come around once a year, leaving us plenty of time to get back on track. Enjoy a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Have A Happy & Healthy Hanukkah!

This week, Jewish people celebrate the winter holiday of Hanukkah - often with foods that aren't all that healthy. But it doesn't have to be that way. Deep fried latkes and donuts have taken center stage in many Hanukkah celebrations, but the tide is turning. Today, many people like to give at least a nod to healthier eating, even during the holidays. This week, we honor this ancient holiday with some tips and recipes for healthier eating during your Hanukkah celebration.

Strictly speaking, eating foods saturated with sugar and fats - even olive oil - is not paying close attention to the Torah. Remembering the miracle of the Menorah by using olive oil in our food is an important part of Hanukkah. However, understanding the significance of olive oil is crucial to preserving the true tradition of the miracle.

Pure Pressed Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil. O(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The flames of the Menorah, which God allowed to burn for eight days on one flask of oil, were fueled by pure pressed olive oil. The Torah tells us that the olives were pressed to release only the first, the purest drops of oil to be used in the Menorah. The remainder of the olives were crushed in the usual manner to produce large quantities of olive oil for cooking.

Harmful Behaviors

The Torah teaches us that we should avoid harmful behaviors, such as eating unhealthy foods. That's why it's a bit difficult to understand how eating piles of deep fried foods can possibly pay tribute to the miracle of the Menorah or faithfully celebrate Hanukkah. We know that olive oil is a healthy type of oil. But cooking with large quantities of any oil, even olive oil, negates the health benefits.

Healthier Traditions

It makes sense to honor the miracle of the Menorah by abstaining from unhealthy foods loaded with oil. Instead, use small amounts of pure-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil to make  healthier dishes. For instance, create a beautiful salad with fresh greens, goat cheese, and a homemade salad dressing using extra-virgin olive oil. Or drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced garden tomatoes, and fresh basil for a caprese salad that is delicious and healthy.

Potato latke frying in hot olive oil. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even latkes can be made healthier. Honor the traditions of Hanukkah while enjoying a crispy potato latke by baking them instead of deep frying - or just saute them lightly in a bit of olive oil. A little bit of olive oil can go a long way in this type of healthy recipe. Even those filled donuts we love can be made over to more closely honor the true tradition of Hanukkah. You can tweak many of your old recipes to make the donuts smaller, oven bake them, and fill them with smashed fresh fruit and cream cheese instead of sugary jarred jelly.

Celebrating the miracle of the Menorah while avoiding excessive indulgence in sugar and oil-drenched food seems to make sense after all. The purest of all olive oil should be enjoyed and held in reverence during Hanukkah. Not only is tradition respected, but the true teachings and meanings of Hanukkah are upheld when we treat our body to a healthier celebration.

Giving Traditional Favorites A Makeover - Low Carb Holiday Classic Sides

When we start putting our holiday menu down on paper, we usually notice something happening.  The same dishes appear year after year after year.  Aside from the traditional main dish, there seems to be a pattern in many households of our favorite side dishes reappearing.  It's wonderful to follow tradition, but what happens when those family favorites are in conflict with your healthy diet?  Many sides we love are not exactly what you'd call low-carb.  So, how do we reinvent our holiday side dishes?  Let's take a look at a few new ways to treat a few old favorites.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Anyone on a low-carb diet will automatically push past the mashed potatoes and gravy.  We know it's loaded in carbs, right?  But the clever cook can easily replace the traditional favorite with a new favorite; Mock Smashed Potatoes and Golden Au Jus. The secret to this low-carb dish is simply that you aren't cooking potatoes; you're creating potatoes out of cauliflower. 

Boil cauliflower, then mash or put in food processor with cream cheese and other ingredients, and you have a smooth potato-like texture.  You can thicken the “potatoes” a bit with a tablespoon or so of almond flour if you wish.  Add garlic, Parmesan cheese, onion, salt and pepper to add even more flavor. 

Then the gravy is simple. All you need really is the pan drippings, a little water, and a saucepan over medium high heat.  Get the liquid bubbling and let it reduce by half and you'll have a nice, rich gravy without any added flour.  Of course, if you wish to thicken the gravy a bit, a little sprinkling of flour won't add a significant amount of carbs to the meal.

Green Bean Casserole

You know you love a big heaping helping of this favorite dish, but just one look at that can of cream of soup and you also know it's off limits.  But you can have this traditional side dish again;  all you need to do is control the ingredients.

Once you have your green beans cooking and your seasonings ready, you just need the sauce to bring it all together.  That thick creamy sauce is what makes the dish, right?  Create your own cream of soup by making a simple white sauce using milk and almond flour to thicken.  You can also stir in a bit of cream cheese to give it an even creamier texture.  It's really as simple as opening a can once you get the basic technique down.

As for those crunchy onions on top, the carbs don't account for much in the entire dish, but if you want to eliminate them entirely, but keep the onion taste, oven fry some thinly cut onion that has been coated lightly with olive oil.  When they get golden brown, toss them into and on top of the casserole for all the flavor without any breading.

Sweet potato, commonly referred to as a yam in the United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sweet Potato Casserole

This favorite side dish will take a lot of tweaking, but with the carb savings you'll enjoy, it's well worth it. Sweet potatoes are loaded with carbohydrates, and I don't mean a little;  I mean a lot!  One trick for bringing the carb count down is to mix pureed pumpkin in with the sweet potatoes.  You maintain the texture and flavor (remember, pureed pumpkin doesn't have any flavor of its own), and bring the carbs down within a reasonable amount.

Of course, you'll want to avoid as much sugar as possible, so one alternative is to stir in a bit of stevia (a natural sweetener made from the stevia plant - it has no carbs and does not affect blood sugar levels, and it is much sweeter than sugar so a little goes a long way), just enough to bring the sweetness to a level that you're used to.  Another way is to readjust your thinking entirely when it comes to sweet potato casserole.  You may want to make it savory instead of sweet.  A sweet potato casserole made with crispy bacon or sausage instead of marshmallows and sugar could be a nice change on your holiday table.

Cranberry Relish

There are even ways to tweak this tangy sweet side dish.  Cranberry relish is typically not what you would call low-carb.  The amount of sugar in most recipes is pretty much off the scale, and the canned variety is even worse.  But, even though the amount you would normally eat at one sitting won't amount to too much, there are still ways to reduce the normal amount of carbs.

One interesting way to reduce the amount of carbs in a bowl of cranberry relish is to “bulk” up the relish as much as possible with lower carb ingredients.  Surprisingly, the peel of the orange is lower in carbs than the fruit itself.  Fill your food processor with raw cranberries and the zest from the peels of a couple of washed oranges and process until finely chopped.  Then, add sections of the orange, tasting after a few are processed, and stop adding when you have a nice blend of tangy and sweet.  Add a sprinkle of stevia or sugar just until you've gotten the sweetness you like. You'll be surprised how little sugar you'll have to add if you taste it first.

All of these makeovers have one thing in common – you have to just stop and think before you do what you've always done.  Often that's all it takes.  When you rethink the ingredients, you can usually eliminate or substitute something that is healthier and just as tasty.  You may even be creating new holiday dinner traditions.

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

For those of you looking for Part 3 in the "Why I'm Not A Vegan" series, I apologize. Since this is Thanksgiving week, I thought we'd switch it up and focus on Thanksgiving foods this week (just about as non-vegan as it gets anyway) :-)   but don't worry - we'll be back with Part 3 soon, and finish up with why eating vegan is not natural.

And now on to choosing the main dish for a low-carb, meat-based holiday feast! :-)   Most main dishes we think about over the holidays are naturally low-carb because they are usually protein-based. Choices such as turkey, duck, goose, and ham are traditional stars of the holiday table, but are they all equally nutritious and diet-friendly? Let's take a look at some of the most popular and see how they stack up against each other.

Turkey Talk

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many families pride themselves in their great big, juicy, golden brown turkey coming out of the oven.  And why not? This glorious bird is a holiday classic that is not only beautiful when cooked well, but is just as tasty.  But, how does turkey stack up in the healthier food department?

Turkey is essentially considered a low-to-no-carb food.  Since meat is mostly protein, you can enjoy as much turkey as you wish if you are on a low-carb diet.  However, a few things to consider would be the dressing you may have stuffed the bird with.  If you consider roasting your bread-filled bird a tradition, just be sure to avoid the dressing when dishing up your plate. Or, choose less carb-heavy stuffings based on things like quinoa.

Other nutritional considerations are the fat, cholesterol, calories, and sodium.  One trick to cut down on the fat, which often contains these elements, is to be sure the bird is on a rack in the roasting pan so the fat cooks off and runs through, and the bird isn't sitting in the fat juices. Also be sure to choose an all-natural turkey which is not treated with antibiotics or pumped full of artificial flavorings and salt. Organic and free-foraging is best if you can get it.

If you are faced with a holiday table filled with carb-rich, fat-rich foods, your choices may be limited, but you can feel confident helping yourself to multiple servings of turkey.  If you stick to mostly white meat, with only a nibble or two of dark meat and a tiny bit of crispy skin, you can load up without worrying about your healthy diet.

Duck vs. Goose

Two popular birds to grace the holiday table are duck and goose.  Either one is a glorious addition to a beautiful table.  They both are aromatic, the skin crisps and browns beautifully, and they are often a special treat simply because we just don't tend to cook them often.

But, when it comes to eating healthier, which would you choose?  The nutritional data may surprise you.  We believe duck to be a very fatty bird, and it is, of course.  However, between the two, goose is actually much higher in calories and almost five times more calories come from the fat in a goose than the fat in a duck.  This is without the skin.

Even with the goose having a much higher calorie count from fat, the cholesterol count is quite a bit lower for a goose than a duck.  This just illustrates how important it is to check the nutrition labels before you dig in, especially if you are on a strict diet.

The good news is both duck and goose are carb-free, so if you are on a low-glycemic diet, this may be one dish you can enjoy without difficulty during the holidays. 

Thanksgiving Ham (Photo credit: dbarronoss)

Ham It Up

It's hard to look at a glazed ham and see it as nutritious and diet-friendly.  Of course, a basic baked ham fits into a low-carb diet, but what about after it's fancied up for the holiday table? 

Comparing a basic baked ham with a honey baked ham, you'll quickly see where the nutrition suffers in the honey baked variety.  The sodium levels jump dramatically as well as the carb levels, thanks to the added sugar or honey.  The calories and fat seem to be on similar levels, which would be considered quite high for most people counting calories.  However, that is assuming you eat an equal part lean and fatty ham, so you could help yourself to a leaner portion and save a few calories.

With this holiday main, it could really depend a lot on the cut and the recipe.  If you choose a lean ham, then bake it with a savory glaze, such as a mustard glaze instead of a sweet glaze, you can save on carbs, calories, and fat.  Bake it on a rack to let the fats drip off and you'll save even more on the fat content.  Put the salt on the table instead of on the ham and you'll reduce your sodium, as well. Ham is salty anyway, so you probably won't need it.

Whatever your traditional holiday meal has for its star, you can always make it healthier.  Choose your main, then tweak your recipe and cooking method to create a main dish that is not only beautiful and tasty, but healthier, too.